Decent Chardonnay reccos?

Having a couple folks out for the weekend and they are chard drinkers, which neither my wife or I don’t really drink often. I’m familiar with the higher-end stuff, but since they also manage to put away lots of wine so I need reccos on say, $25-ish bottles. Suggestions?

Thanks.

Do you know if they like California, French, or perhaps Oregon chardonnays?

I know one of them is a Cougar Juice woman. Not sure of the other two. I’m guessing Cali.

We have recently enjoyed a 2017 Fevre Champs Royaux Chablis and a 2017 Drouhin St Veran, both were under $20. Fevre Domaine Chablis is a bit more and a bit better than the Champs Royaux IMO.

Be sure to try one wine trick: Pour Charles Shaw chard into a nice bottle and see if they like it.

Getting onto the topic…

Grgich is great, I don’t know the exact price, but it is easily available.

Duckhorn is pretty good.

BR Cohn might fit the profile.

Trying to think of things easily available on the shelves…

Ferrari Carano is a pretty safe call, as is Mondavi at that price point.

Don’t hate on me, but Mer Soleil Chardonnay, Silver, Unoaked chard is quaffable.

Roughly where will you be purchasing this wine?

[The name of the specific store would help…]

Probably somewhere in NYC.

The 2017 Lioco Sonoma County Chardonnay is very good and can be easily found for less than $20.00. Its $22.00 at the Winery - Tasting Room

Tom

The wife brought one of these home recently and we both found it undrinkable. Bad bottle possibly but if there was a flaw, it wasn’t one I’m familiar with. Not sure if vintage but think it’s the current one.

For the OP, both Stonestreet and Miner should work and satisfy the cougar juice crowd but I think they run a few dollars above $25.

Hartford Court, all day (but at grocery stores, where it’s cheaper than Total Wine/Bevmo/shops, typically)

Second on the St Veran. Freemark Abbey is often overlooked in this price range.

Forgot about this one. Agree with the rec and have used it for similar situations in the past.

Hartford court as well.

Many of the suggestions are quite far from what this crowd would want. Anton’s list is solid, as is the Hartford Court rec. I’ll add Mount Eden’s entry level, which should be around the price you’re looking for and is well made for the style. Really, it isn’t worth overthinking this. I’d just go to a decent wine shop and ask for a big, oaky chardonnay.

Agree with all the above, especially ‘it depends’. (Oak or not, full body or not)
‘Chardonnay’ is a very broad church indeed.
Not sure about US pricing but in addition to the above some that should be fairly widely available but here’s a couple more.

In Cali - Sonoma Cutrer Russian River is decent and inexpensive .
South Africa - Hamilton Russell
(Almost) any 2014 Chablis 1er Cru Fevre, Laroch, Brocard (perhaps not the Vau de Vey), Billaud Simon etc
Drouhin-Vaudon Chablis should also be below your price point
Roche de Bellene Saint Romain

Does it HAVE to be Chardonnay? A South African Chenin Blanc might open some eyes (Mullineux old vines for example).

Anton is the last guy I’d ever hate on, but I too was unfortunate enough to encounter this recently and it was disgusting.

I second the Mt Eden recommendation. And at just a touch more than $25, the Walter Hansel chards could fit the bill.

Wow, I gotta seriously revisit this.

We tried it about 4-5 years ago and it was a pleasant little glass filler.

Now I gotta go get one and see.

[cheers.gif]

Oregon: Walter Scott La Combe Vert, can be found <$30. Best single chard I’ve had at this price range.

Many years ago the late Greg Walter did this, in a BLIND setup, with 4 or 5 Chard afficionados (he carefully picked them). ALL of them voted 2BC as WOTN. Almost came to a fist fight upon unveiling. So, there is that.

Try the Brosseau (Chalone AVA), 2017.